Romeo's swan song

Another day at the Stadium, another embarrassing defeat. This time at the hands of the lowly Houston Texans 16-6, themselves bringing in a 3-7 record and a road losing streak stretching over a year. It was another game filled with dropped passes, desperate coaching moves, terrible play calling, and more defensive ineptitude. The Browns are now 1-5 at home after being 7-1 there last year, including winning 7 straight. And they 4-7 on the season overall, one in which they entered with such hope.

Thankfully and finally the fans' patience has run out with this team. I've been inside the Stadium for every home game this year and I honestly didn't think it would happen. I've looked around me and seen blind support for a team of losers while they inexcusably pissed away second half leads against the Ravens and Broncos. I think there were still a lot of believers even before yesterday's game when a win would have brought the Browns to only 5-6. But this pathetic performance finally sapped all support from the fans here in Cleveland. Congratulations Browns, I didn't think you could do it. But I'm glad you finally did.

One of the better signs in the Stadium yesterday shows
just how these fans feel about #17's play this year

This moment had to come. Something needs to change with this franchise. This season has been filled with as much nonsense off the field as on it. The Kellen Winslow staph infection adventure, followed by his one-game suspension. The text messaging saga to Winslow's phone from Browns staffers urging him to keep quiet. GM Phil Savage's email-gate. Players talking about quitting. I'm so sick of all of it. And then yesterday came Romeo Crennel's decision to pull Brady Quinn after two interceptions and insert the embattled Derek Anderson. It was a desperate move by a desperate coach of a desperate team. And likely one of Crennel's final moves as the head man on the Browns' sidelines.

Please Browns, if you're going to rebuild again (and you definitely should), please, please, please do it the right way this time. Don't bring in another guy that has never been an NFL head coach before. Back up the Brinks truck to Bill Cowher's home in North Carolina or Strongsville (I loved that dumb rumor) or wherever the hell he is living now. Make him an offer he can't refuse. Show the fans you care about this team's image as much as they do (or did). The current state of the franchise is beyond embarrassing and Cowher can instantly restore some credibility.

Other Browns Notes: Brady Quinn reacts to his benching... Terry Pluto talks about how the Browns torment their own fans... Braylon Edwards hears and accepts the boos... And don't forget about Tony Grossi's noon chat today. This should be a fun one to recap.

Cavs Update: Now for a team that actually rewards you for being a fan: the Cavaliers laid the wood to the Hawks on Saturday night with a 110-96 win at the Q. If you didn't see the game, check out the highlights here. LeBron made three plays that were simply jawdropping to me, and luckily all three of them made that highlight reel. The first is around the 1:25 mark after Ben Wallace blocks a shot, Delonte West picks up the loose ball and thows an alley-oop to LeBron from nearly half court. Just watch LBJ streak past the defense. His speed in the open court is unbelievable. The second play is featured right after that one when LeBron drives through two Hawks defenders in the paint, gets hammered and still throws it down left-handed while losing his headband. His strength is ridiculous. And the third play is shown right after that dunk when LeBron drives through the lane, fakes a behind the back pass, cocks his right arm back and as Austin Carr would say, "throws the hammer down!" Just listen to the sound of the rim. And watch Mo Evans scurry to get out of the way.

So with the win the Cavs are now a perfect 7-0 at home, their best start ever at the Q. And they are 10-3 overall with a two game cushion in the Central over the Pistons. They will have a big stretch of games this week with four games in five nights beginning tomorrow night in New York (where we will surely hear more rumors of LeBron bolting for the pathetic Knicks). Three of the four games will be against sub-.500 teams. In fact, 6 of the Cavs' next 8 games will come against teams that currently have losing records. I feel another streak coming on...

Mike Brown credits his "Committee" for helping the Cavs get off to a fast start this season... And Coach Brown isn't a big fan of gambling for steals... And LeBron isn't tired of the 2010 rumors (yet).

Browns win?

I know I should abide by my own made-up rule that a win is a win, especially in Cleveland. But I just can't help tearing apart last night's 29-27 win (highlights) over the Bills. I just can't. First, those were two really bad teams playing each other last night. That's not to say that each side doesn't have individual talent... but when looking at the overall team aspect of football, the Browns and the Bills are equally bad. Good thing for us that it resulted in an entertaining (for reasons both good and bad) game on national TV. But if you really stop and think about it, this is what today's NFL has become. A bunch of teams that are pretty close in talent level, battling it out. How many really good teams would you say there are in this league? Three? Four?

There are so many things that you could criticize both the Browns and Bills for last night. Here are just a few off the top of my head:

• With Trent Edwards basically handing the game to the Browns in the first quarter with three interceptions, how do we only capitalize with two field goals? The Browns took possession on each drive at the Bills' 44, 40, and 10 yard lines. Six points? Really?
• The Bills exploited the inexperience of Brady Quinn by consistently blitzing him. And linebacker Kawika Mitchell ran seemingly untouched through the Browns' line about a dozen times. Was anyone paying attention to him? Would it hurt to keep Jamal Lewis or Charles Ali as an extra blocker back there so Quinn doesn't get killed?
• After Trent Edwards' awful start the Bills rightfully handcuffed him by only allowing him to throw the ball near the line of scrimmage for almost the entire remainder of the game. This meant that any pass was basically going to Marshawn Lynch. And of course the Browns couldn't tackle him to save their lives. How is an NFL team so inept at something as fundamental as proper tackling?
• With Marshawn Lynch and Fred Jackson basically ripping the Browns' defense a new one, how did the Bills only rush 35 times? I would have handed off 50 times if I was them, especially considering how bad a QB Edwards is.
• What was up with the Browns' play-calling when they kind of got into field goal range late in the fourth quarter. It was like they saw the imaginary line drawn on the field by Monday Night Football to indicate Phil Dawson's career-long field goal and decided that they were close enough right there. They followed it with three awful pass plays to the sideline, forcing Dawson to hammer home a 56-yard field goal with 1:44 left. Kudos to Phil for that kick (and his other four on the night) - as Doug Dieken said, "If Phil doesn't make the Pro Bowl this year, then no one deserves to be there."

Dawson was money from 56 yards on Monday night

• In true Browns fashion, they decided to squib the ensuing kickoff and the Bills took over at their own 44. I know they were gunshy after the kickoff return for a touchdown earlier in the quarter, but come on.
• Of course Trent Edwards made his one good throw of the night on that drive, getting the Bills into their own long field goal range at the Browns' 38. The the Bills decided to tear a page out of the Browns' playbook by playing it safe and opting for their own long field goal, except this one was going into the swirling wind.
• Also on that drive, Romeo Crennel and the Browns' coaching staff made another really boneheaded move. After Edwards' one good pass there was about 1:15 left on the game clock and the Browns still had all three timeouts. Instead of calling one immediately after that play to preserve the clock in case the Bills made that field goal, Romeo decided to let the Bills run another play and then call a timeout, effectively losing another 20 seconds. Brilliant.

I'm sure there are other things I missed, but like I said these are just off the top of my head after a late night. And I didn't even mention the continued drops by Braylon Edwards, coupled with another procedure penalty against him as well. These are mistakes that a good football team just doesn't make. But thankfully the Bills aren't a good football team either. The saddest part of all of this is that without two epic fourth quarter collapses at home (where the Browns are 1-4) this team would now be at 6-4 fighting for a playoff spot, or maybe even the division title. Only in today's NFL...

There were some good things to take away from last night's game for the Browns, aside from a much-needed win. Jerome Harrison showed outstanding speed on his 72-yard TD run and again is making a case for more carries. Brady Quinn knows how to manage a game and avoid costly turnovers in just his second NFL start (he really should be 2-0 now). Despite his drops and mental errors, Braylon Edwards still was able haul in 8 catches for 104 yards. And I loved the play that Chud called with the 'Flash' package for the Josh Cribbs TD. More of that, please.

Cavs Update: The Cavaliers look to add on to their 7-game win streak when they face the Nets at 7:30 tonight in New Jersey. It will be the first of a tough back-to-back on the road before heading to Detroit tomorrow night. So it's imperative for the Cavs to try to get a win tonight. Mike Brown is ignoring the win streak in an effort to keep the team focused... LeBron isn't satisfied with just winning seven in a row... The team needs to be successful on the road and this will be a good test... You'll never guess who was again named Eastern Conference player of the week... And don't look now but there's a new #1 on NBA.com's latest power rankings. Uh-oh.

"We don't want to get too far ahead of ourselves because when you start thinking, 'We've got to take care of our road trip,' or 'We've got to handle this winning streak,' that feels like an enormous burden. If you just think, 'Let's go handle our business this next game,' to me that's simplistic and you go out there and do what you do and you have a chance to win if you do it right."
- Mike Brown

Week 9: Browns vs. Ravens

I didn't have time this morning to post anything too significant, so this will have to do...

Sunday the Baltimore Ravens come into Cleveland Browns Stadium. Here's what we currently know about the AFC North:

• The Browns have clawed their way back to a somewhat respectable 3-4, after starting out 0-3.
• The Ravens are just one game ahead of the Browns in the AFC North at 4-3.
• The Steelers, leaders of the AFC North sit at 5-2 with a tough Monday night matchup in Washington to face the Redskins.
• No one cares about the Bengals (aside from their drunk hillbilly fans).

Why am I laying this all out? Because if everything aligns perfectly this weekend, by late Monday night the Steelers will be 5-3, the Browns 4-4, the Ravens 4-4, and the Bengals 0-8 (the bright side for them is they can't possibly lose this week). The problem is that we've seen these type of opportunities numerous times over the years and the Browns typically fail to capitalize when the pressure is on. So what should we expect on Sunday at Cleveland Browns Stadium? Believe it or not, I actually have hope (that is not to be confused with expectations).

As the great Andy Dufresne said in Shawshank, "hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies." We've learned to live by that motto in Cleveland. And when in doubt, but still full of hope, I find it best to modify my favorite Shawshank quote of them all, delivered by Red himself:

"I find I'm so excited, I can barely sit still or hold a thought in my head. I think it's the excitement only a Browns fan can feel, a Browns fan at the start of a matchup with the Ravens whose conclusion is uncertain. I hope the good DA shows up. I hope to see my friend Braylon, and watch him actually hold onto the ball. I hope to see Jamal Lewis get even more carries than the 20 he had in my dreams. I hope. "

I'm calling on Red for some hope this Sunday at the Stadium

Remember no expectations, just hope. And full of hope I'm going with Browns 20, Ravens 13.

Cavs Update: I was at the Q last night for their home opener. And damn was it good to see the way they played. Aside from the third quarter, where they seemed mostly bored and toyed with Charlotte, they looked great on their way to a 96-79 victory. Mo Williams' contant pushing of the ball up the court was a sight for sore eyes. The team defense was outstanding for most of the night. Boobie Gibson's 25-point outburst was a thing of beauty, reminiscent of his Game 6 performance in the ECF vs. the Pistons. LeBron's thunderous dunks were expected. And J.J. Hickson's powerful first two NBA points were not-so-expected. Overall, a solid first win before they head off a couple road games. New Orleans and Dallas will be two good early season road tests for this Cavalier squad.

J.J. Hickson throws down his first NBA points

Week 8: Browns @ Jaguars

Let me just start by saying I hate fantasy football. I swore it off after last season, claiming that I wouldn't be in another pay league this year, again giving my money away to the rest of the league. I don't have the patience to draft properly, nor the interest to keep making prudent moves every week with all the injuries, bye weeks, etc. So what happened when my neighbor down the street asked me to join his CBS Sportsline fantasy leauge this year? Of course I said yes.

Even worse, when drafting I went against my own cardinal rule - never, never, EVER draft players from the Browns. It will inevitably lead to a curse on that player, and even worse from a fantasy perspective, stubbornness in realizing when it's time to cut ties with said player. So why am I explaining all this here? Because Week 8 features the Browns in Jacksonville to face the Jaguars. And of course my two fantasy quarterback options are Derek Anderson and David Garrard.

I'll give you a second to stop laughing about my DA pick... OK, done? Well on the night of my draft I was actually hoping and praying that Anderson would be gone when it was time to fill the QB slot, I think in Round 3. But of course I was seduced by the thought of DA in the second year of Chud's offense, surrounded by Braylon Edwards, Donte (now "Dainty") Stallworth, K2, Jamal Lewis, etc. And of course DA was still there when my pick was up and as I watched the draft clock ticking down I knew I shouldn't pull the trigger... but I did. (I wonder how many NFL GM's feel the same way on the real draft day? Do they too talk themselves into picks like that?)

So anyway, now I have to decide which quarterback to give the start this Sunday. I obviously should have already cut ties with DA, but the stubbornness I referred to just won't let me do it yet. I'm still convinced that he can pull out a big game or two before Brady Quinn finally gets the full-time job. And that's not to say I think DA is a good quarterback anymore. I actually think he's a poor decision-maker and a guy who needs to be in a rhythm to succeed. And that's something that just will never lead to success on the Browns with guys routinely dropping catchable passes or running the wrong routes altogether. Yes, he has a cannon for an arm (which was unfortunately on display on some short passes to Jamal last week), but what other redeeming qualities are there? I have ultimately decided to give the start this week to Garrard, for the sole reasoning that my benching of DA will propel the Browns to a win.

Garrard gets the nod in a tough fantasy call this week

What do I actually think will happen on Sunday? I really don't know. But history suggests that these Browns seem play their best football when their backs are against the wall. Look no further than the Giants game two weeks ago, or the Cincy game in Week 2 last year, or both Ravens games last year. Something in Romeo Crennel's team seems to shine when the axe is ready to fall on his neck (or at least the chubby spot under his head where his neck should be). I don't know why but I'm going with Browns 23, Jags 20.

Other Browns Notes: K2 is definitely out for Sunday's game, his appeal set for Tuesday... Pat McManamon says the Browns should just release Winslow... Terry Pluto says the Browns' biggest letdown is Braylon's drops... And ESPN's 'expert panel' currently has the Jags winning across the board (although three picks still remain as of 11:30 on Friday) so you just know the Browns will somehow pull this one out, right?

Cavs Update: Only 4 days left... the Cavaliers will finally put the preseason to bed with their finale against the Wizards in Columbus on glorious ESPN-HD tonight at 8:00... Ronald Dupree was the final roster cut yesterday, and Jawad Williams is thrilled to be home... It looks like Delonte West is getting the start tonight. Could this mean that Sasha has fallen out of the rotation yet again? And does this mean that Boobie will be the true backup PG? We'll know soon enough... And the Cavs are running with Mo when they have the chance.

"I'm not going to celebrate, but I think my family will celebrate. For me the process is never over, I have to continue to work hard and prove I belong." - Jawad Williams

More embarrassment, courtesy of the orange and brown

Stop me if you've heard this one before... the Browns came out flat, DA looked terrible, the receivers (well, Braylon) dropped many catchable balls, the defense couldn't stop the run, the coaching staff looked overmatched, timeouts were squandered, and the clock was mismanaged down the stretch. We often complain about consistency with this franchise, but one thing has been consistent since 1999. Losing.

14-for-37, but undoubtedly DA still has a firm grasp on the starting job... where's Brady?

Their latest loss is another head-scratcher, mainly because the Redskins are possibly the worst 5-2 team I've ever seen. I'll give credit to their physical defense - they hit the Browns hard all game - but other than that, Washington is very beatable. They were practically begging the Browns to at least tie the game up as the clock wound down yesterday. And instead of taking advantage, the Browns offense sputtered again, just like it had all day. They ended up settling for a 54-yard field goal attempt by Phil Dawson that everyone watching the game not named Crennel knew had no chance.

But I was actually glad the game came down to that kick. We all know if they would have picked up that first down, panic would have ensued and the clock probably would have run out on them. Has this team ever heard of spiking the ball to preserve the clock? I can't remember them doing it once so far this entire season. The sense of urgency in every aspect of this team seems to be non-existent, aside from the beatdown of the Giants last week.

So where does the team go from here? At 2-4 they head to Jacksonville next week to face a team that is certainly better than the Redskins. And now they have a PR nightmare on their hands (again). More on that in a second. This team supposedly plays its best when their backs are against the wall. Next Sunday would certainly qualify. But the real question I have - as a Cleveland fan, how much longer should I really care? How much more time should I invest in a lost cause? And how much longer till the Cavs hit the court?

"A big reason I'm upset right now has to do with [the staph infection]. I heard from Romeo Crennel and I heard from my position coach [Alfredo Roberts] when I was in the Clinic. I heard from my teammates. But I never heard from the main man -- Phil Savage -- and that really disappoints me. Sometimes I don't even feel a part of this team." - Kellen Winslow

Other Browns Notes: More on the whole K2 situation - this is what happens when an organization is so secretive about its injuries. The Browns never really let the public know anything about possible injuries. So everyone assumes the worst. Rumors fester and inevitably a guy like Winslow gets embarrassed by everything that is now out there. I'm sure he was frustrated after yesterday's loss and let off some steam by talking to the media. But the Browns need to change the culture in that locker room. Phil Savage talked about getting rid of the 'woe is me' attitude upon his arrival. It was gone briefly during last season's success, but it is back again in a big way. And frankly, we're all sick of it... Braylon Edwards says his frustration yesterday led to his poor showing. Shouldn't a Pro Bowl receiver be better than that?... Terry Pluto weighs in on yet another loss in a pointless season... Tony Grossi's noon chat should be an entertaining one today.

Cavs Update: Thankfully the Cavs' offseason is finally coming to an end. We are almost there - only 8 more days. They were able to grab their first win of the preseason on Saturday night with a 100-93 victory over the Sixers. They will face the Sixers again tomorrow night, with only two tune-ups remaining after that.

After publicly admitting his emotional issues that kept him away from the team for 12 days, Delonte West had a very nice game on Saturday... Ben Wallace says he's happy just being a role player now. Umm, hasn't he always been pretty much a role player?... Mike Brown says the starting 2-guard spot is still up for grabs... And Mo Williams was actually ejected from a preseason game on Saturday night, LOL.

Week 7: Browns @ Redskins

Sunday, October 19
4:15pm, CBS-HD
FedExField, Landover, MD

Here we are, already moving into Week 7 of the NFL season. The Browns have won two straight after their dismal 0-3 start and have sucked many doubters right back into their typically frustrating roller coaster style of play. They will face the Redskins in another late Sunday start, this time at 4:15. With a short week to prepare after the Monday night game this week, what should we expect? As always, your guess is as good as mine.

Keys to the game:

• Establish an early lead. The Browns were able to do that against the Giants and it allowed them to keep their offense balanced, instead of abandoning the running game.
• Stick to the plan. The offense had a banner day on Monday night with a lot of plays that seemed to surprise the Giants. Chud surely has more of those plays up his sleeve and it's time to showcase all of them with this offense.
• Put pressure on the quarterback. Jason Campbell is still fairly inexperienced. To me, he's more of a 'game manager' than a 'game changer.' But if the Browns can find a way to keep utilizing some of the blitzes they showed on Monday, them might be able to force Campbell to make some throws he's not comfortable making.
• Stay focused. The Browns need to avoid all the false starts, illegal shifts, and illegal formation penalties that have seemed to plague them all year. They were able to get away with that at home, but I'm not so sure it's a good idea to start pulling that crap on the road.
• Play like the underdog. We all know the Browns have a hard time dealing with success. They are better when expectations are low. I hope they won't be puffing their chests too much after the MNF win. There is plenty of business left to be handled and simply getting back to .500 needs to be an immediate goal.

With all that said, I'm awfully worried about this game. I just don't see the Browns being able to stay as focused as they were coming out of the bye week. I can envision a close game, coming down to the wire with the Browns in their frazzled, clock-wasting version of the 2-minute offense. That will spell trouble in the road. I'm going with Redskins 24, Browns 17. I hope I'm wrong.

Other Browns Notes: K2 looks to be practicing today, and wants to play on Sunday... If he is unavailable against the Redskins, Tony Grossi wonders if Steve Heiden and Darnell Dinkins can have the same impact in this game... At least Braylon Edwards and DA have found their 'freaky rhythm'... And the Redskins are a little banged up this week, so maybe we are catching them at a good time.

Cavs Update: The Cavs dropped their fourth straight preseason game last night at the Q, 91-70 to the Spurs. I'd like to say I'm not at all worried because it's just the preseason... but I think I said the same thing about the Browns. It looks like it was just a bad shooting night all around for the team. Delonte I can understand because he's been out of camp. Mo's 3-for-14 on the other hand... yikes.

Where the hell has Pop been hiding all summer?
I think he scared some small children out of the Q last night.

Brian Windhorst says not to worry, and he is the expert so I'll go with him. BW also had a nice video chat yesterday that's worth a look and listen. 11 days until the real season starts...

Did that really happen???

Wow. All I can say is wow. We actually do have an NFL team again. What a great win last night. I don't think I would have believed it if I didn't see it with my own eyes inside the Stadium. The Browns dismantled the Giants, outplaying them in every way possible en route to a huge 35-14 win that just may have saved their season (very fun highlights here).

Eric Wright seals it with his 96-yard interception return for a TD

Where has this offense been in the first four games? I know Ryan Tucker was finally back from his hip injury - does he really make the line that much better? DA seemed to have all day to throw on his way to 18-of-29 for 310 yards, 2 TDs, and 0 INTs. And I have to say that Steve Heiden and Darnell Dinkins stepped up in a big way in the absence of Kellen Winslow, combining for 6 catches, 81 yards, and a touchdown. And Braylon Edwards finally had his breakout game with 5 catches for 154 yards, a touchdown, and a two-point conversion. He beat Aaron Ross like a drum all game long.

The Browns even mixed it up offensively with the run, gaining another 144 yards on the ground. When was the last time you saw this team go an entire game without a punt? Savor last night's rare feat because that may not happen again for a long time. Their signature drive started with 8:11 left in the third quarter and ended 87 yards later (112 if you count a bunch of silly penalties) with an 11-yard touchdown pass to Edwards.

And the Browns came up equally huge on defense forcing 3 Eli Manning interceptions, including the game clinching 96-yard touchdown return by Eric Wright. We can forgive him for dropping an earlier interception after watching that play unfold. And I love Jim Donovan's call of that play starting around the 3:25 mark in the highlights above. Goosebump-inducing, reminiscent of his "Run William, run!" call back in 2002.

So where do the Browns go from here? Your guess is as good as mine. I expected a 34-13 Giants loss last night and got a 35-14 win. What do I expect this Sunday when the Browns travel to Washington to face the Redskins? I'll let you know later in the week. For now, let's bask in the warm glow of a big victory on national TV. It's been a long time coming for this team and it feels good to have a little pride restored in these guys.

Other Browns Notes: Terry Pluto gives his post-game scribbles from the big victory... Braylon Edwards was finally able to quiet some critics after his big game... James Walker talks about how the Browns kept their season alive... And don't forget Tony Grossi's podcast today. I'm sure he'll be just as shocked as the rest of us.

One season officially ends, another lives on (barely)

Well, the Tribe officially ended their 2008 season at .500, but more on that later. First order of business, how to feel after the Browns' 20-12 win in Cincinnati? (highlights here) On one hand it's definitely nice to be back in the win column. But on the other hand, this was a sloppy victory over an 0-3 Bengals team playing without starting quarterback Carson Palmer. Of course the Browns are a little banged up themselves, but I honestly just can't feel good about this win. It took 17 fourth quarter points from the Browns to pull this one out. And that's after the Bengals turned the ball over 5 times. They were practically begging the Browns to take this one and they still seemed reluctant to do so for much of the game.

Braylon found his way into the end zone on Sunday and celebrated with some air guitar

Derek Anderson was again very shaky and tentative on his way to 15-of-24 for just 124 yards, 1 TD, and another interception. If you're scoring at home, that's six picks in four games this year and sixteen in his last eleven games going back to last season. His interception just two minutes into the third quarter probably had every Browns fan expecting #10 to strap on his helmet and take the field on the Browns' next drive, but RAC again stuck with Anderson. I thought Paul Warfield summed it up nicely on "Sports Sunday" late last night on Channel 5 by saying, "If Romeo was the coach when I was playing, my 13-year career may have lasted 20."

"I decided to give him another chance," said coach Romeo Crennel, who considered replacing Anderson. "He went ahead and took advantage of it and finished on a good note."

Honestly, I really don't know what to take from this game. The Bengals are not a very good team. They had some guy named Ryan Fitzpatrick at quarterback. But we did enough to get a road win and keep both coach Crennel on the sidelines and Derek Anderson under center for the time being. Only time will tell if that's good or bad for this franchise. They now have two full weeks to design a game plan to try to take down the defending Super Bowl champs at home. That may even be enough time for Donte Stallworth to stop stealing Randy Lerner's money...

More Browns Notes: Tony Grossi says it wasn't pretty, but the Browns will take it. And don't forget Grossi's always entertaining chat at noon today at cleveland.com (or just download the podcast later, which I always do)... Terry Pluto says the win should calm the nerves and quiet the Cowher rumors for now... Braylon is happy to be back in the end zone again... Hey, at least we're not the Bengals.

Tribe Update: The Indians finished the year at .500 with their 5-1 loss in Sunday's season finale. Going into this season, if you would have told me that they would end up 81-81 and in third place in the AL Central it would have been a massive disappointment. But at the time I didn't know that CC Sabathia would end up taking the Brewers to the postseason, Jake Westbrook would spend almost the entire year on the DL, Travis Hafner and Victor Martinez would also be shelved for much of the year, out bats would be lost for the first few months of the season, our bullpen would be a complete disaster until after the All-Star break, Casey Blake would be going to the playoffs as a Dodger, etc., etc. My point is that we need to put everything in perspective as Tribe fans. I couldn't be more proud with how this team finished the final three months of the season. Coming from 16 games under .500 to finish where they did is pretty remarkable.

They also helped themselves for the future through their mid-season trades that netted some serious talent for now and the future. There is still work to be done to be ready for next year - namely filling the huge holes at second base and bullpen closer - but the groundwork has been laid for 2009. There's no reason the Indians can't finish ahead of the Twins and White Sox next year. Hell, they may have pulled it off this year if the season was a few weeks longer.

More Tribe Notes: Eric Wedge plans on giving Grady Sizemore more rest next season... And Sheldon Ocker has one last look back at Cliff Lee's incredible season... I'll be back with a more comprehensive look at the Tribe's roster and what I expect next year later this week.

Cavs Update: Only 29 days until the Cavaliers season officially starts. Training camp does open up today and cleveland.com will give you a live look at media day starting at 3pm today. I also added a new poll to the right to gauge fans' expectations for this season. So go ahead and exercise your right as a Cleveland fan duty and vote today...

Week 3: Browns vs. Ratbirds

With the Tribe off last night, I'm reduced to giving my worthless prediction for the Browns game at M&T Bank Stadium. I didn't even realize it was a 4:15 start until yesterday. It is not my favorite thing to have to sit around on Sunday waiting for the second game, especially when my favorite team is 0-2. I want them back on the field ASAP so I can try to forget about the first two games. Obviously, the Browns need to win this one or their season may already be over, as dumb as that sounds just three games into the season. Really, I don't think anyone knows what to expect from the brown and orange at this point. I wouldn't be surprised if they lost and I wouldn't be surprised if they won big.

Remember what happened last time the Browns visited Baltimore?

The Ravens should be nice and rested after Hurricane Ike disrupted their plans last weekend in Houston. But that also means they could be rusty. And with a rookie quarterback in there, you would think that this is the perfect time for the Browns to throw in some blitzing schemes to try to rattle young Flacco. Then again, we've rarely seen that type of planning on defense so who knows what's to come. I do know that with Robaire Smith out of action for the year, it's one less big guy up front to occupy their offensive line.

On the Browns side of the ball, it's imperative that they come away with some points this weekend. A whopping sixteen points through two games isn't going to cut it in this league. Not to mention their meager 206.5 ypg average, good for second-to-last in the AFC. With the weapons this team has, there is no excuse for that type of output. I expect Braylon to elminate the drops, Winslow to be involved more, and Stallworth to be standing on the sidelines in street clothes again. So now on to my prediction...

I see this game coming down to the wire, even though it should not. The Browns are head and shoulders above the Ravens talent-wise. But this is a road game, and the Browns just won't make it easy - just look at last year's game against an overmatched Ravens team. The Browns also have a coaching staff that consistently has looked overmatched and ill-prepared. Play-calling, clock management, and coaching decisions have been even worse than the execution on the field. I could honestly see this one coming down to another Phil Dawson field goal as the clock is winding down with the Browns of course having no time outs and scrambling to the line (a la the 16-15 win in Pittsburgh back in 1999). It was excusable for an expansion team, but I'm not sure why it's still possible 10 years later. Nevertheless, I'm going with Browns 16, Ravens 13.

Other Browns Notes: Phil Dawson is actually hoping for a repeat of last year's performance in Baltimore. Well, at least the part where the teams wins... And more good news - Eric Steinbach is hurting. Just what we need... And Tony Grossi gives his thoughts in his Friday podcast.

Tribe Update: After their final off-day yesterday the Tribe is back in action tonight. This will be the last game that my wife and I will be attending this year so I hope to be sent out on a good note. Fausto Carmona is on the hill for the good guys to start the final 10-game push for .500 or better... Based on my expecations going into this season, Ryan Garko has truly put up some puzzling numbers this year... Jensen Lewis seems to be enjoying the tiring role of everyday closer... And kiss Buffalo goodbye, the Tribe is now calling Columbus its AAA home.

The sweep taste of victory

The Tribe was able to cap off their sweep of the Twins with a 6-4 win last night at the Prog. Amazingly, the Indians are now 31-35 vs. the Central Division after such a horrendous start to divisional play. They even still have a chance to finish with a winning record against Central foes if they can somehow sweep both their remaining three-game series against Detroit and Chicago. More importantly, last night's victory brings them within 2 games of the .500 mark with just 10 games to play. So just a 6-4 finish (or better) would mean a non-losing season, which would be pretty remarkable when you consider how bad things were in July.

Pronk's shot in the 4th was a sight for sore eyes

The only downer to last night's game was that Cliff Lee wasn't able to hold on for his 23rd win. He entered the 7th inning with a 4-2 lead, but some bad luck caused him to depart with a 4-4 tie and a disgusted look on his face. I just love Lee's intensity this year. He was so upset he didn't even notice the rousing standing ovation he got from the crowd, who realized that this was their last chance to thank Lee personally for an amazing year. But thanks to the offense picking Lee up, his no-decision allowed him to finish the year a perfect 10-0 at home.

"I was so focused on what just happened, I didn't hear anything," he said. "I was just frustrated with the way things went in that inning. I was caught up in the moment." - Cliff Lee

The Indians also managed to sock two more home runs off of Twins' pitching last night, giving them a total of eight in the three-game sweep. The most welcome sight was obviously the shot off the bat of Travis Hafner. It was one of those no-doubters that Pronk has become known for over the years and I had my doubts whether we'd see one of those again in 2008. Jhonny Peralta also added a solo shot of his own in the 4th for his 22nd on the year.

Other Tribe Notes: Terry Pluto reflects on Cliff Lee's stellar season... The Indians' 2009 schedule was released yesterday, and good news - we play 40% of our games in August and September instead of April and May. I'm already dubbing it 'The Season of Redemption'... The Tribe will enjoy their final off-day of the year today before beginning a three-game series with the Tigers tomorrow night at the Prog.

Browns Update: Stop me if you've heard this one before - Donte Stallworth still isn't healthy enough to play. Shocking I know... And Tony Grossi talks about Braylon Edwards and his 'slump.' Whatever is going on with that, it needs to change quickly. I'll be back here with my big Sunday prediction tomorrow...

Cavs Update: Only 40 days until the season officially kicks off. Nothing big to report really, just that I'm excited. The Cavs may be rounding out their roster with the addition of Ronald Dupree. Here are his career numbers. Nothing earth-shattering, but maybe a little more depth in camp, and perhaps some good defense if he makes the final roster.

Sports weekend from hell

I purposely waited to sum up my thoughts from the Cleveland sports weekend until Tuesday morning. This was partly to recover from a long weekend of drinking in Chicago and then tailgating before and attending the Browns Sunday-nighter... and partly because I didn't want to write a bunch of knee-jerk pissed-off reactionary thoughts. I wanted to digest what I saw on Sunday night. Now that I've had time to do that, I honestly feel no different. I can't believe this is the team that I had such high hopes for two short weeks ago.

That really was an embarrassment on national TV. The Steelers played about as badly as we could have hoped and still beat us in our house because we couldn't do anything right. We couldn't stop them on obvious passing third-and-long situations. We couldn't convert in the red zone. Hell, we couldn't even manage the clock to set up a score right before halftime. That sequence was inexcusable. The ten second runoff penalty, immediately followed by the Browns' complete lack of urgency as they waited another 8 or so seconds to snap the ball. Then their refusal to call a timeout after a completed pass in bounds. Then the final straw - the DA interception to take any points off the board before halftime. The team was rightfully booed as they ran into the tunnel. What a complete disgrace. And the second half was equally as embarrassing with the team mustering only 6 points on two field goals, the second one almost as head-scratchingly confusing as the one ordered by Romeo Crennel in the fourth quarter last week against the Cowboys. I just don't get it.

At 0-for-our-last-10 this 'rivalry' has turned into a joke

The Browns now sit at 0-2 and are really a full three games behind the Steelers with the head-to-head loss. Kiss all hopes of an AFC North title goodbye two weeks into the season. What a great feeling. I'm so sick of seeing black and gold jerseys on the ugly redneck hillbilly fans that treck up here every year to watch their team own us. I'm sick of watching the Browns get knocked around and not really seem to care. I'm sick of wasting my time and money on this team year after year. Of course that won't make me stop going, it will just make me stop hoping. I guess the tailgating will always be good. At least we have that in Cleveland. It would be nice to someday have a team to be proud of too.

Personnel-wise, I have no idea what the Browns can do to shake things up. Derek Anderson has looked awful in his first two games. But I think it will take a few more bad weeks before Brady Quinn would ever get a shot. And what happened to the Pro Bowl version of Braylon Edwards that we saw last year? Did the bizarre foot injury in training camp really set him back that much? And I can't figure out what happened to our run blocking, but 38 yards on 19 carries for Jamal Lewis just won't cut it. That's the kind of production we got out of Ben Gay and Willie Green in their primes, but I expect a little more from Lewis. And finally, where is the vaunted offensive game plan from Chud that we loved so much last year? Are Jurevicius and Stallworth really that integral to our game plan? I really don't know what to expect from the Browns the rest of the year, but if they are to have any hopes of playing in January then two consecutive road wins are a must in the next two weeks. And from the looks of things, I just don't see how that is possible...

Other Browns Notes: Terry Pluto agrees that the next two weeks will be the most important to RAC's coaching career... Another week, another season-ending injury... I think this is tongue-in-cheek writing from Pat McManamon, because I wouldn't adopt the Steelers if my life depended on it... And apparently Romeo doesn't see a problem with opting for field goals. I'm gonna go way out on a limb here (not really) and say that if the Browns are 0-4 entering their bye week, then RAC will have coached his last game here. And I'm really not rooting for that to happen, I'm just making that observation. He needs to inject some urgency into this team immediately.

Tribe Update: To continue the 'weekend from hell' theme, the Tribe went 0-for-3 against the Royals on Saturday and Sunday (to go along with the Buckeyes' embarrassing primetime loss to USC). Thankfully I'm not a huge OSU fan and I wasn't in town on Saturday and was busy tailgating on Sunday, so I missed the Tribe's weekend. Their fight to get back to .500 is now that much more difficult, but they did rebound nicely with a 3-1 win vs. the Twins last night. Scott Lewis impressed again with another 6 shutout innings on the mound for the Indians. He has now gone 14 scoreless innings to start his major league career. Not too shabby, and another reason to have some hope for 2009. Shin-Soo Choo and Kelly Shoppach provided all the power the Tribe would need in this one. And Rafael Betancourt and Rafael Perez continued their much-improved work of late, paving the way for Jensen Lewis to notch his 9th save.

Paul Hoynes gives more background on Scott Lewis' impressive start... And Shin-Soo Choo is becoming a 'complete player' in Wedge's eyes... Asdrubal Cabrera is proud of his resurgence after being named co-AL player of the week... The Indians will need to go 8-4 over their final 12 games to reach the .500 mark, a tough task when considering 9 of them will be against the Twins, Red Sox, and White Sox. Zach Jackson will continue his quest for his first major league win tonight for the good guys.

Will they get over the hump?

It seems like lately the Tribe just hasn't been able to get over that hump. Not that .500 is some major accomplishment, but they have crept close to the mark a few times only to fall down again. It happened again last night with a 6-3 loss in Baltimore. The loss leaves them at 71-74, instead of 72-73 with Cliff Lee on the mound tonight. I just want them to get back to .500 or better to make this season easier to swallow. And considering how far they have come to get back to this point, I think it would be a major letdown if they don't at least end the season with 81 wins.

Last night's loss again had the Indians leaving runs on the bases. A total of seven runners were left stranded, with the worst coming when Franklin Gutierrez grounded into a double play in the 5th with the bases loaded and one out after the Orioles giftwrapped two runs to tie it 3-3. Zach Jackson was able to give the Tribe 6 innings, but he did allow 4 earned runs and is still searching for his first Indians victory at 0-3.

And speaking of young Tribe starters, how about the job that Scott Lewis did in his major league debut on Wednesday night? I should have wrote something about this yesterday, but work just seems to keep getting in my way this week... but Lewis was incredible in the Indians' 7-1 win. 8 IP, 3H, 0ER, 3K, and 67 strikes on 97 pitches - those numbers speak for themselves. The only downer on the night was that Eric Wedge didn't leave Lewis out there to finish the job in the ninth. How often do you get to pitch a complete shutout in your major league debut? Well, Lewis will obviously never get that chance again... who knows how his career will turn out, but Wednesday night's gem was one to remember.

Lewis's MLB debut should give Tribe fans even more hope for '09

Other Tribe Notes: Mark Shapiro is excited about 2009 and says Eric Wedge isn't going anywhere. I'm sure that will probably irk a lot of Tribe fans, but I think Wedge has done an incredible job after all the injuries and trades to keep this team fighting. He's had to juggle his starting line-up and pitching rotation all year long and the team has responded well after the trades.,.Wedge is also being careful with starter Anthony Reyes, which makes Saturday's double header with the Royals even more difficult... A few more tidbits from Lewis's great debut... Cliff Lee (21-2, 2.28 ERA) is on the mound for the good guys tonight and I will happily be in attendance, hopefully not dodging raindrops. I hope a few other brave souls show up tonight to watch this incredible Cy Young season from Lee.

Browns Update: With the Browns' Sunday-nighter against the arch rivals from the armPIT of America looming, they got some good news on Thursday. I'm a huge Cribbs guy and I know how he can change a game so this is great news for me. Also, it looks as if the Steelers are trying to bait us into false hope that their QB won't be ready. Trust me, he'll be on the field Sunday night. Tony Grossi knows the key to beating this team will be getting to Big Ben.

Will we see some of the 'Flash' package from Chud on Sunday night?

I honestly don't know what to expect out of the Browns on Sunday. Nothing would really surprise me. Their defense worries me, especially against a quarterback like Roethlisberger. But I also know the offense just can't play as poorly as they did against the Cowboys. I fully expect an aerial assault on the Steelers defense, with Braylon looking to atone for the drops against Dallas. Remember, I'm not in the business of predicting and I never gamble myself because I'm so bad at it... but I just have a feeling the Browns will finally get over the mental hurdle of Big Ben and the Steelers. I'm going with Browns 33, Steelers 21.

Cavs Update: We sort of got to know Mo Williams in an online chat yesterday and I'm liking him more already:

Demetri (Cleveland, OH): Is it true that you listen to "In The Air Tonight" by Phil Collins before every game? If so, I'd just like to say that that is incredible.
Mo Williams: That is true.

Any NBA player so willing to admit they are a Phil Collins fan (me too) and that they listen to that song before every game is OK in my book. I'm expecting big things from Mo this year, both on and off the court. The guy is entertaining.

1-9 and 0-1

The Browns are now 1-9 in season-opening games since returning to the league in 1999. Most of those losses over the years can be attributed to them just not being a very talented team. And when you factor in that every one of those openers has been at home, it really makes it seem a lot worse. But the Browns have talent now and they were 7-1 at home last year. So their 28-10 loss at the hands of the Cowboys yesterday is troubling, even if somewhat expected.

I have no problem with losing to the Cowboys. They are obviously an elite team in the NFL and will likely challenge for the Super Bowl this year. I understand that and I even said last week that a loss wouldn't surprise me and that the Browns could even afford to lose this non-conference game. What bothers me is the way it happened. From Donte Stallworth hurting himself in pre-game warmups, to Braylon Edwards dropping catchable balls, to the defensive line putting absolutely no pressure on Tony Romo, to our defensive backs getting torched by Cowboy receivers. There is a long list of things that were troubling to any of the 73,000+ of us fans that were in attendance yesterday. I won't dwell on this loss for very long, with much more important business coming up this Sunday.

The Browns defense couldn't stop anyone in blue on Sunday

My hope is that the Browns will be able to put this game behind them quickly and focus on the Pittsburgh Steelers. They need to get healthy and get focused on their own 'must-win' game now. They can't afford to start the season 0-2 with two road games in Baltimore and Cincinnati looming ahead. So all I'll say about Sunday is that the game was not much fun, and the tailgating was the highlight of the day. That's not what I expect the rest of this season.

"I wanted to put some points on the board ... there were 10 minutes left, and if you don't make it, then where do you go?"- Romeo Crennel on the decision to kick a field goal when down 28-7 with 10 minutes remaining

Other Browns Notes: Terry Pluto has some scribbles on Sunday's game, including some comments about Crennel's puzzling decision to kick a field goal when down 28-7 in the 4th quarter. That was just one of many "WTF" moments from yesterday's game for me... Braylon Edwards says he's just a little rusty after the preseason injury... and Pat McManamon gives his thoughts on a forgettable opener.

Tribe Update: There was some good in Cleveland sports yesterday - Cliff Lee notched his 21st victory in the Tribe's 3-1 win in Kansas City yesterday. The win puts Lee at 21-2 on the year, and barring a catastrophic collapse in his final four starts, he should now be a lock to bring home the Indians' second straight Cy Young Award.

"I really don't think about it that much," Lee said. "I think about preparing each day and doing everything I need to do to get ready for my next start. I don't really reflect back on previous outings and what I've done or look too much ahead of today. That's been a key to me being successful this year. I'm going to continue to have the same mindset."

The team is now 32-21 since the Sabathia trade... With the Anthony Reyes injury the Tribe has called up Scott Lewis from Akron to take his place in the rotation... And finally, Travis Hafner could be back on the field as early as tomorrow night for the Tribe. He homered in his last two starts for Akron in the playoffs over the weekend.

Cavs Update: The Cavs made it official on Friday with Lorenzen Wright. They also inked second-round pick Darnell Jackson from Kansas to a three-year deal. And speaking of Arthur, his letter to Kansas fans makes me happy to know we have a class-act wearing the wine and gold... The start of the season is only 50 days away now!

Week 1: Browns vs. Cowboys

So after what was seemingly a neverending wait for the start of the NFL season, Week 1 is finally upon us. As Browns fans we have gone from lofty expectations during training camp to a bit of worry over the 0-4 preseason, and more importantly, all the injuries. Such is the nature of things here in Cleveland... we have come to expect freak knee injuries like the one that happened Wednesday that will keep Antwan Peek out for the entire 2008 season. Not that I think Peek is an essential player to the team's success this year, but it's the type of downer that you don't want to start a season on. But injuries or not, the season kicks off with a tough opponent in the Cowboys on Sunday at 4:15. Here are the things I will be watching:

1. The Cowboys air attack vs. the Browns secondary: Much has been made of the Browns' perceived lack of depth in their secondary after trading Leigh Bodden and losing Daven Holly to injury. Terry Cousin and Travis Daniels were added during camp. But the real pressure will be on Eric Wright and Brandon McDonald at corner and Brodney Pool and Sean Jones at the safety spots. For as much as I dislike Terrell Owens, I won't kid myself and think that we can stop him. We just can't allow him to go off like he did when the Eagles came into town in 2006. And keeping track of Cowboys tight end Jason Witten also scares me a lot. If we start playing back off the line of scrimmage I think they will look to Witten a lot underneath and that could spell trouble.
   
2. The Browns defensive line: The off-season additions of Shaun Rogers and Corey Williams gave a lot of us hope that the Browns would not only be able to better defend the run, but also finally get some pressure on the quarterback. This will be imperative in Week 1 against the Cowboys, because if Tony Romo is given time he will find the open receiver and pick the defense apart. And Marion Barber is more than capable enough to break of some big runs if he isn't contained.
   
3. The Browns offensive line: This unit has been considered one of the best in the NFL after a stellar 2007 season. Left tackle Joe Thomas is a beast and will only get better as he progresses into his second NFL season. But he will have his hands full with DeMarcus Ware and the rest of the Cowboys defensive line. And the Browns didn't do a great job of protecting Derek Anderson in limited action in the preseason. It will be imperative that they give Anderson time on Sunday, as well as opening up some running lanes for Jamal Lewis.
   
4. The Browns receivers vs. the Cowboys secondary: Obviously Braylon Edwards had his breakout season last year. I expect much more of the same this year as he and Anderson really developed good chemistry. And the addition of Donte Stallworth gives the Browns more speed and a reliable second option. And Kellen Winslow is the ultimate pass-catching tight end with the size, speed, and fearlessness that will make and defense afraid. But the Cowboys secondary is very talented (namely Roy Williams) and this may well be the matchup that decides the game. We all know how much better the Browns were last season when Anderson was able to limit his turnovers and didn't force mistakes. It is a must that the Browns don't give the Cowboys extra possessions or a short field to work with.
   
5. Special teams: Mainly I'm referring to the Browns special teams here. A huge key for me will be if Josh Cribbs is healthy enough to play. If his ankle isn't an issue and he is on the field he is a game-changer. Syndric Steptoe did a nice job stepping in during the preseason, but he is nowhere near the caliber of Cribbs. If #16 is back there receiving the opening kickoff, I will be breathing much easier. It will also be important for Dave Zastudil and Phil Dawson to step up when called upon. Field position or an extra 3 points could be the difference in this game.

DeMarcus Ware vs. Joe Thomas will be just one of the big matchups on Sunday

Summing everything up I'm just not sure I love this matchup to start the year for our Browns. But I also know that we have become a dominant team at home (7-1 last year, with the one loss featuring Charlie Frye under center). I definitely think this could become a shootout which could also favor the Browns (5-0 under Romeo Crennel when scoring 30 points or more). Ultimately this game will come down to which team can take care of the ball better on offense and get stops on defense. I'm just not sure the Browns can make all the stops they need to in this one.

It's not that I don't think the Browns can't win this game... I wouldn't put anything past them with their explosive offense. And I know the crowd will be a huge factor (I can't wait to be in the middle of 73,000 screaming fans on Sunday). If the Browns do lose, this would be a game to do it (non-conference so it likely wouldn't play a part in playoff tiebreakers). Weighing everything, I'm going with a prediction of... Cowboys 30 Browns 27. But I reserve the right to change my pick if anything changes my mind before Sunday morning...

Beasts of the East?

I think at this point the Tribe might be wishing this were 1993, before the divisions in baseball were realigned and we had the pleasure of residing in the AL East. Of course, we were also still in the old Stadium and our roster was pretty horrible (aside from young Thome, Belle, Ramirez, etc.). But the point I'm trying to make is that in 2008 the Tribe has been awful in the own division (just 17-30 vs. the AL Central), but a stellar 16-8 vs. the AL East after the weekend sweep in Toronto and then their 13-8 victory last night against Baltimore. To illustrate the quirkiness of realignment in MLB, this was somehow the first time the Indians faced the Orioles since May 7, 2007 (they have played the Reds - a team from the National League - 12 times since then). It doesn't really make sense and no one is really a fan of it as far as I can tell:

"It's a tough thing, but it's the same for both teams," Wedge said. "I don't
like it, but there's nothing I can do about it. It's part of baseball. Now that
we have interleague play and the unbalanced schedule, that's how it works out."

Last night's game was a bit of a wild one, with the Tribe taking a 7-3 lead into the 7th inning. Then Fausto Carmona ran out of gas and Edward Mujica, in true 2008 bullpen fashion, somehow allowed 4 runs to score on just 4 pitches (sadly, he was only charged with one of those runs). He proceeded to blow the lead and the win for Carmona, only to end up getting the win himself when the Indians' offense scored three more runs in the bottom of the 7th. It's been that kind of
year for the Tribe. Asdrubal Cabrera was the hero at the plate last night with the game-winning RBI double, to go along with a 2nd inning home run. Andy Gonzalez also hit his first home run in an Indians uniform. Brandon Donnelly also made his Tribe debut, returning to a major league mound for the first time in over a year, working a scoreless 8th inning.

Gonzalez was one of three Indians to homer on Monday night

The Indians and Orioles continue their 4-game series tonight at the Prog with Jeremy Sowers still looking for his 2nd win of the year. With a win and a Royals loss the Tribe can climb out of the Central cellar for the first time since July 26th.

Other Tribe Updates: Ryan Garko appears to really be sorry (at least to "the clones") about not running out that grounder. And we get some injury updates on Victor, Hafner, and Barfield.

Browns Update: Steve Sanders (no, not him) is temporarily seizing the opportunity with the first-team offense in the wake of Braylon Edwards' bizarre post-practice shoeless foot injury. And Romeo isn't too concerned about the injury. He also is seeing improvement in the secondary.

Cavs Update: LeBron chipped in 12 for Team USA in their 21-point win over Angola this morning. They are now 2-0 to start the Olympics with their most important games (Greece and Spain) next on the horizon.

LeBron and the Redeem Team won easily on Tuesday morning

Busy weekend

It was a busy weekend for my wife and I as she earned her Master's degree from Bowling Green State University. But in between the trip to BG on Friday, the graduation party at our house on Saturday night, and all the overnight guests, we were able to see/hear some of the Tribe's sweep in Toronto over the weekend. It's been a recurring theme this year that the team seems to play some of its best baseball when I'm occupied with other things. So I wasn't all that surprised by the sweep, I just wish they could play like this when I'm actively watching.

We caught some of Friday night's game from the patio of the great BW-3 on East Wooster in Bowling Green. That was the site of many formative drinking nights in my younger days, so it was nice to be back there again watching the Tribe. Anthony Reyes made his Indians debut and gave us reason to think that one of Shapiro's trades may already be paying off. He was able to scatter 7 hits over 6-1/3 innings, while allowing only one run in the Tribe's 5-2 victory.

"I was excited just to start somewhere fresh," Reyes said. "I think with St. Louis, that was probably it for me. I was excited for the opportunity and just excited to be coming here, having a chance to come up here and compete."

On Saturday we heard most of the game from the Ohio turnpike while heading back home. Paul Byrd was outstanding yet again, pitching a complete game (on only 93 pitches), while allowing only two runs and 6 hits in the Indians' 4-2 win. That game also featured a bizarre ending, just when it seemed things might be getting a little dicey for Byrd. At this point, I'm hoping Byrd just stays on the team (and helps on the quest for a non-last-place finish) because he's not going to clear waivers in a trade.

"I feel good with where I'm at right now," Byrd said. "I'm very confident. I know my numbers aren't great for the overall season, but right now I feel like I can beat anybody. I feel like I'm at the top of my game."

Then Sunday's game was only seen in bits and pieces between all the Olympic-watching we were doing at home. Cliff Lee became the first Indian ever to start a season at 16-2 in the 4-0 win, continuing his stellar turnaround from a year ago. He went another 8 shutout innings yesterday, giving him 17 consecutive shutout innings against Toronto this year. David Dellucci and Jhonny Peralta gave Lee all the support he would really need in the top of the first inning. Lee is inching closer to becoming the Tribe's first 20 game winner in 34 years.

Lee has dominated the Jays (and everyone else) in 2008

"It's just easier when you're having success," Lee said of his superb season. "Things go easier, you have more fun. Things flow better when you're having success. I'm going to continue to just ride it out."

The Indians will look to build on their three-game winning streak as they return home tonight and finally get to play outdoors on natural grass (the dome road trip through Minnesota, Tampa Bay, and Toronto won't be missed, I'm sure). They start a four-game set against the Orioles tonight with Fausto Carmona starting for the good guys.

Browns Update: I haven't blogged since Thursday's preseason opener so I wanted to give a few quick thoughts...

• Our first-team offense looks unstoppable by anyone not named Mother Nature. I can't wait to see these guys on the field again.
• Braylon Edwards makes at least one spectacular catch per game. If he stays healthy (more on that below) he might get 20 TD's this season.
• I wouldn't worry too much about our DB's giving up big plays to the Jets. Most of the guys that were on the field at that point will be selling insurance or playing in NFL Europe (if it even still exists?) soon.
• I wish everyone would just cut Brady Quinn some slack, including Chudzinski. Everything he does seems to be hyper-analyzed by the fans/media, and overprotected by the coaching staff. Let him air it out, and let him make some mistakes in the preseason. He needs to learn more on the field, and he will no doubt be needed in a big spot at some point in the future.
• And speaking of Quinn, his value went up a few notches after watching Ken Dorsey struggle through the fourth quarter. Somehow his 8-for-26 and 2 INT's don't even begin to tell the story of how bad he was out there.

So now on to the bad news. You knew it would happen sooner or later - a freak injury to a Brown. We really cannot afford to go into battle without Edwards, so let's all just hope and pray for no staph infections, no unexpected arthroscopic surgeries, and please no "teeny, tiny fractures to the non-weight bearing bones" to any more of our Browns.

This is not a sight that any Browns fan was looking forward to...

The Browns also signed two safeties yesterday to try and shore up the depth in the defensive backfield. And K2 is looking to help a rookie teammate. Don't forget that it's Monday, which means it's time to chat with Tony Grossi at noon.

Cavs Update: LeBron did his best and almost came up with the Olympic highlight of the day on Sunday (the US men's 4x100 swimming relay team narrowly beat him out) with a resounding and-1 alley-oop dunk. And he did help lead Team USA to a resounding rout of China in their basketball opener with 18 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists. Team USA takes on Angola tomorrow morning in their second game.